Shattered
by SaffronAngel
Summary: When Kim's dreams of PanGlobal gold are shattered, can anyone help her recover?
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: Not mine. But I dream about it when I sleep.

SUMMARY: When Kim's dream of Pan-Global gold is shattered, can anyone help her recover?

A/N: Here's another story started. Have fun everyone.

* * *

Kimberly Hart was at the Pan-Global games. Coach Schmidt had told her repeatedly that she stood a great chance of winning a gold medal.

The petite brunette was understandably nervous. She was one of the oldest gymnasts in the competition and had only been under a coach for a few months.

"Kim, relax. You'll do fine." Katriana Deveux was a fourteen year old who hailed from the bayous of Louisiana. She had become Kimberly's first friend since the young woman had arrived from California.

"She's right, cher. You've worked hard to get here. I be lookin' forward to takin' you out for dinner after the awards ceremony." Kevin Deveux stood in the stands to cheer on his sister and her friend.

"Kevin will you stop with the bayou bad boy charm? I told you I'm not interested." Kim giggled. "Ana, will you tell him to stop it?"

"My friend, my brother does as he will. I am afraid I cannot stop him," the young Cajun woman laughed.

"Cheri, you break my heart," Kevin laughed.

* * *

"She broke my heart too," Tommy whispered as he watched the games from Angel Grove.

He was in his own living room because he had told the others he wasn't interested in watching the games. The truth had been he just didn't want to be around the others as he watched Kimberly stun the entire world.

He was practically glued to his couch as he watched his ex-girlfriend who still held his heart perform her best routines on vault, floor and beam. She headed toward her final rotation, the uneven bars.

This was an event she'd always had dreaded and had trouble with. He'd seen her fall repeatedly only to get up and try again.

His heart pounded and he watched with baited breath as she began her routine.

* * *

Kevin and Ana watched, willing her to do well and knowing that she had fallen from this apparatus many times. In fact, she had fallen only three days ago in practice. She had sworn them to absolutely secrecy about her wrist bothering her afterward.

They knew she hated this event; she'd told them that repeatedly.

They, along with everyone watching, gasped in horror as her hands slipped off the high bar during a giant reverse spin.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine. Owned by Disney and Saban.

SUMMARY: Kim's hurt and no one knows just how badly. How many of her friends know about the accident? Who can help her to recover?

A/N: I know I haven't written on some of my others in a while but my muse has said they will wait and I have to write this one. Please bear with me on the other stories.

* * *

Kim felt her hands slip from the top bar. She was falling in slow motion. _'I hope Tommy's not watching.'_

She heard what she would have sworn was Tommy's anguished voice screaming her name.

Lightning bolts of pain ripped instantaneously through her back as it connected with the lower bar. Then, she felt the impact as the back of her head crashed into the mats. She slipped into utter darkness.

* * *

Tommy's heart stopped as Kim's hands slipped from the bar. _'KIM!'_

His pain echoed hers as her back hit. Yelling as he felt her slip away from him, he slumped on the couch paralyzed, not even able to wipe away the tears streaming down his face.

* * *

At the Juice Bar, the silence was deafening as everyone watched the medics carefully load the petite brunette onto a gurney for the unexpected trip to the hospital.

"Oh my God! Poor Kimberly! Does anyone know the number to ring up her coach so we can find out how she's doing?" Kat asked.

All of her teammates shook their heads. All save one. They stared at Rocky in disbelief. "You have her number?" Adam asked.

"I do. She called me the day the letter arrived."

Kat was temporarily distracted from what had happened in Miami by those words. "Did she explain why she sent it?"

Rocky felt anger begin to burn through him. "Good God! Does it really matter now?! Kim's hurt, on her way to the hospital and you guys want to talk about the letter? I can't believe this." He stood up and left the Youth Center.

"What's got him all upset?" Tanya wanted to know.

"We wanted to know about the letter instead of worrying about Kim." Kat sighed, realizing that her best chance of finding out about Kim's condition had just walked out the door.

* * *

Rocky walked into the house and threw himself on the couch. He still couldn't believe what he had seen on the television set and his friends' reactions to the news that he had talked to Kim on the day that the letter arrived. He knew he couldn't tell them that Kim hadn't sent the letter, not now.

"Rocky?" The young man looked up to see his baby sister standing in the doorway to the living room.

"What is it, Jenny?"

"Aisha called. She saw the accident. She told me that she's catching a flight to Miami first thing in the morning." Rocky saw the tears in his sister's eyes. "Is Kim going to be okay?"

"Of course she is. Kim's tough; she'll pull through." _'I hope.'_

"Are you sure?"

"Come here, baby." Jenny ran over to her brother and threw herself into his lap. "Do you want me to go down and make sure she's okay? Would that help?"

When she nodded with tears in her big brown eyes, Rocky made up his mind. He knew that he had to make the calls to get a flight out as soon as possible.

* * *

The young Asian woman sat shocked on the couch in front of the television set, not believing what she had just seen.

Jason and Zack sat on either side of her where just seconds before the three of them had been cheering on their friend, willing her to do well in spite of her history on the apparatus.

Trini turned to Jason and buried her face against his chest as she started crying and through the tears burning his own eyes, Jason noticed Zack reaching for a phone to make the arrangements. They all knew that they needed to get to Miami as soon as possible.

* * *

Tommy slowly turned his head to look at the clock on the mantle. An hour had passed since she'd fallen and he could feel no trace of her. _'My god! Kimberly! Is she okay?'_

Slowly and carefully, Tommy got up off the couch and walked into the kitchen. He stretched, felling the muscles in his back finally loosening up.

Picking up the phone, Tommy prayed that he'd be able to get a flight out quickly.

"Angel Grove Airport," chirped an all too cheery voice.

"I need to book a flight to Miami."

"I'm sorry, sir. We have no flights out to Miami for the next six days." Tommy's heart plummeted. Then, an idea came to him.

"You don't understand. I have to get to Miami. You heard about the accident at the Pan-Global Games?"

"Yes, sir. That poor girl."

"She's my fiancé. I have to get there to be with her. Is there anything you can do to help me?"

Tommy must have had just the right note of desperation in his voice because the woman asked him to hang on for a moment while she checked on something. Interminable minutes later, she was back. "Sir, we have a flight to LAX tomorrow morning on United at 8 AM. There's a flight out of LAX on Delta for Miami at 11 AM. Will that help?"

The relief that flooded through Tommy overtook his voice. _'Thank God.' _"Yes. Yes it does. Thank you so much." She took his information and booked the flights for him, giving him the confirmation numbers for each flight.

"Have a nice flight, sir. And I hope that your fiancé is going to be okay."

"Thank you again. I can't tell you how worried I've been since it happened."

"You go and take care of her. She's a pretty girl."

"She's my beautiful." Tommy hung up the phone and dropped into the chair at the breakfast bar with his head in his hands. Sobs encompassed him and shook shoulders that had always been so strong for everyone else.


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: Nope. Still not mine. I only own Kevin and Katriana along with the idea.

SUMMARY: Kim's been hurt. How bad is it and can anyone help her heal?

A/N: Just to let everyone know, I'm taking a few major liberties with the timeline here. Such as a couple of songs that I'm putting in later and allowing the Rangers to be gone from Angel Grove for extended periods of time.

* * *

Kevin had snuggled into the couch with a book he had found sitting on the table. Tears flooded his eyes as he realized that it was one of Kim's true crime novels.

'_As if she hasn't been through enough,' _he thought. He opened the book and started reading. It didn't take long before he was totally engrossed in the storyline. He didn't even realize the time was ticking by.

* * *

Rocky knocked on Tommy's door. He got no answer. He began to worry.

He placed his hand on the handle. Trying the knob, he found it unlocked.

Poking his head into the house, he looked around and saw Tommy sitting at the breakfast bar with his head in his hands and his shoulders shaking.

"Tommy?" He walked into the house and closed the door behind him. "Tommy, are you alright?"

When Tommy looked up at Rocky, the Blue Zeo Ranger was shocked to see the tears streaking his friend's face. "Tommy, are you alright?"

"Rocky? What are you doing here?"

"Checking on you. I was worried when you didn't answer your phone so I came over."

"Did you see what happened?"

"I did. I'm leaving in the morning to head down there."

"So am I. Flight to LA and then on to Miami."

"8 AM?" When Tommy nodded, Rocky smiled. "I guess we got the same flight. I'd better call and let Ana know that we're coming in."

At Tommy's baffled look, Rocky laughed. "Ana is Kim's roommate. Her real name's Katriana but Kim gave her the nickname."

Tommy nodded. "Oh, okay."

Rocky punched in the number on his cell phone and waited to deliver the news.

* * *

The phone rang right beside Kevin's head. With a start, the young man dropped the book in his hands.

The second ring moved him to action. He snatched up the phone, hoping fervently that the sound hadn't woken his sister.

"Allo?"

"Kevin? It's Rocky. Is Ana there?"

"She's sleeping right now, mon ami. Her worry made her quite wary."

"Is she alright otherwise?" Rocky's anxious voice brought a smile to Kevin's face.

"Aye, would you be havin' a soft spot for my sister, Rocky?" he teased.

"Who wouldn't? She's adorable."

"Aisha might have something to say about that, bro," Tommy said in the background.

"Who was that?" Kevin asked, not sure if he really wanted to hear the answer.

Rocky took a deep breath, anticipating the Cajun's reaction to what he was about to say. "Kevin, Tommy and I are flying in tomorrow about 4 PM."

Kevin shook his head. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea, mon ami."

"Why not? He wants to help."

"He wants to help now? Where was he when she was crying herself sick for five days straight? Where was he when Coach Schmidt had to threaten to pull her from the team in order to make her pull herself together? You didn't see her. I was here. She's still not over him, Rocky. He'll only hurt her again."

"He's coming with me, Kevin. Regardless of what you say. She's going to need all of her friends."

Kevin shook his head. He allowed himself to think back to the day that Kim had given up on Tommy and her relationship with him.

_**FLASHBACK**_

_Ana knelt beside Kim with her arms around her friend. Kevin was sitting on the couch. Kim had been trying to call Tommy for five days. He still hadn't called her back. _

_Adam and Kat had hung up on her when she tried to find out from them what was going on. Aisha didn't live in Angel Grove anymore. Billy hadn't even answered the phone. Rocky was her last hope to find out why apparently everyone hated her now._

_Dialing the last number on her list, she spoke with a trembling voice. "Please don't hang up on me. Please." _

"_He won't, Kimberly," Ana said confidently._

"_I don't even know what I did to make them hate me so much." She went quiet, hearing the phone ring. She put it on speaker; Kevin wanted to hear what was going on too._

"_Hello?" came the familiar male voice._

"_Rocky?" Kim just couldn't keep the tears out of her voice._

"_Kim? What's wrong?"_

"_Tommy won't answer his phone and everyone else hung up on me. Rocky, why do they hate me? What- what did I do?"_

"_Well, that letter you sent was pretty cold."_

"_What letter?"_

"_The one you sent to Tommy at the Youth Center."  
_

_Kim was confused. "Rocky, I never mailed a letter to Tommy at the Youth Center. What's going on?"_

"_Why don't you tell me, Kim? Tommy got a letter five days ago. It was in your handwriting and signed with your name. In it, you broke his heart when you broke up with him, saying that you'd found someone else. You said you'd only ever loved him as a brother."_

_Tears flooded Kim's eyes and streamed down her face. "I never sent that letter, Rocky. You have to believe me. I would never break up with Tommy like that. Is that why everyone else hung up on me?"_

"_Probably. Didn't he call to ask for an explanation?"_

"_No." Kim paused as an awful thought crossed her mind. "Do- do you think he didn't call because he __wants__ it to be true?"_

"_No way. Kim, do you have any idea who could have sent that letter? I mean, it __was__ your handwriting. At least, it looked like your handwriting."_

_Kim suddenly remembered the conversation she'd had with her mother just weeks before. She had told her mother that when the games were over she was going home to Angel Grove. Her mother had been furious, insisting that she come to live in Paris. Kim had refused and hung up the phone. "OH God! She's making sure that I can't come home after the games!" _

"Who, Kim?"

"_My mother. Her handwriting and mine are so close they're almost identical. She's making sure that no one there wants me back after the games. She wants me to come live in Paris and I refused her."_

"_Talk to her, Kim. Find out why she's doing this. I'll start trying to fix things with the others here."_

_Kim hung up. "That's it."_

"_Once they know what happened, they'll take you back." _

_Kim shook her head. "Tommy's hurt. How can I ever hope to fix this with him when he won't even talk to me?"_

"_Don't you worry your pretty little head none, cheri," Kevin added, kneeling on the other side of the petite brunette. "We'll make him see what he lost by giving you up."_

"_Tommy will calm down and then you'll have your chance to talk to him."_

_Kim shook her head again, tears flowing even harder now. "He'll never forgive me. He'll move on with his life and I'll be left behind. Again."_

"_What do you mean?" Kevin asked, not sure he wanted to know. _

"_My dad left me behind when he and Mom divorced. Jason left me behind when he went to Switzerland, and now Tommy. Every guy I've ever cared about has left me behind at some point in my life."_

_Bowing her head, the young woman started crying again. She cried herself to sleep that day. The next morning, she vowed that she would never let any man have that much power over her again. She admitted that she still loved Tommy, but, if he didn't want to fight for her, then maybe she was better off without him. Kevin and Ana had watched helplessly as she trained harder and made herself move on without her friends behind her._

_**FLASHBACK ENDS**_

"Very well, Rocky. He can come. But warn him that Kim's not the same girl she used to be. She's trying to move on. And if he hurts her, he'll have to face me and it will be none too pleasant."

"Ok, Kevin. I will. Please just give him a chance, for Kim's sake?" When Kevin answered him, he said, "We'll see you tomorrow afternoon about four."

He hung the phone and turned to Tommy. "Who's Kevin? Is he the other guy Kim dumped me for?"

"Tommy, there is no other guy. Kim didn't dump you."

"Oh. That was her handwriting in the letter. I still have it if you don't remember."

"Kim didn't write that letter. Her mother did."


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: Nope not mine. I'm just borrowing the characters you recognize.

SUMMARY: Kim's dreams of Pan-Global gold are shattered. Is anyone going to be able to convince her that she can heal?

* * *

Coach Schmidt sat in the waiting room. He'd been calling all night, trying to find out how Kimberly was but there'd been no news until this morning. The doctors had been watching her for almost seventeen hours now.

The x-rays and CAT scans they had run had shown them several things, not one of them good.

"Coach Schmidt?" the doctor in the doorway asked.

"Yes?"

"Would you follow me? I'd like to talk to you in my office."

The coach nodded and followed the doctor down the hallway to the office. Once inside with the door closed, the doctor sighed. "Coach, normally I wouldn't divulge this type of information about a minor patient to anyone outside of immediate family but, since you've already informed me that Kimberly's mother can't be here just yet and her father seems to be unreachable, you are the adult currently responsible for her. We were hoping that she would have woken up by now but she's still unconscious."

"Doctor, please tell me how she is. Her roommate and other friends are extremely concerned about her."

"Coach, this isn't easy. Every test we've run so far tells us that her back was severely damaged by the fall. In fact, she may never walk again. If she does walk, it will only be after a long and difficult rehabilitation. Even then, I believe her gymnastics career may very well be over."

"Poor Kimberly. She fought so hard to get to this point only to lose it all here." The coach hung his head. "I don't know how we'll break this news to her."

"Coach, there is also a good chance that she might not be able to see when she wakes up. The impact on the back of her head may have done significant damage to her optic nerves. We won't know for certain until she wakes up."

"Would it be alright if I brought in her roommate and a couple of friends to see her? They are all so worried."

"Of course. Right now, it might actually help. Sometimes, talking to unconscious people helps to bring them around."

The coach stood up and went out to call Ana and Kevin. He only hoped that the young man that had arrived late last night would be able to help as well.

* * *

Kevin and Billy were asleep on the couch when the call from Coach Schmidt came in. Kevin answered it.

"Allo?"

"Kevin, it's Coach. The doctor has said that you, Ana, and Billy can come and see Kimberly. He thinks it might help wake her up."

"Merci, Coach. I'll tell the others. We'll be there as soon as we can." He hung up to find Billy sitting up and running a hand through his hair. "We can go see her."

"That is most excellent news." Billy headed for the kitchen to start something for breakfast. "I'll start making breakfast if you wake up Ana."

"No need, mon ami," Ana's voice answered. "I woke up when the phone rang. But I will take a shower while you fix something for us to eat."

The young woman turned and walked into the bathroom. The sound of a shower soon greeted the young men's ears. "I have a bad feeling about this, Billy. I don't know if we really want to hear what the doctor has to say about Kimberly's condition. Her back did hit rather hard."

"I'm a little more worried about her eyes. The way her head hit the mats could have damaged her eyes and made her blind." Billy knew that he had to face the fact that his friend might be in worse shape than anyone back home would know.

"You don' blame her for that letter, do you?" Kevin had to know.

"I can't. I know that there's more to it than anyone else knows. I couldn't believe that she would write something that cold. That just isn't the Kimberly I know. If Tommy had stopped to think about it, he would have realized the same thing. That's not Kimberly's style."

"Her mother wanted her to come to Paris to live after the Games. Kim refused. Her mother is furious. Kim thinks she wrote the letter and sent it to Tommy to make everyone there hate her so she would have nowhere else to go when the Games ended."

"I never would have thought that Mrs. Dumas would be so cruel to her own daughter. She had to have known how much that would hurt Kimberly."

"It was very selfish of her not to consider her daughter's feelings." Kevin had to agree with the young man in front of him; Kim's mother had been so cruel.

"Is breakfast ready yet?" Ana asked from the doorway.

"You were too quick, petite soeur. We haven't had time to finish pulling out the pan for eggs yet." Kevin laughed at his sister.

"Well, how about I take over while Billy takes a shower here and you run down to your room to shower and change?" Billy just nodded to the young woman and left the room.

Kevin smiled at his sister and kissed her forehead just before leaving the room. Ana shook her head, smiling at the two young men's expression when they realized that she didn't take forever in the shower.

She started chopping vegetables for omelets and scrambling the eggs. Before Kevin walked back in, she had three omelets and hash browns ready for breakfast.

* * *

Arriving at Angel Grove Airport, Tommy and Rocky hurried inside. They'd been a little late leaving the house and didn't want to miss their flight.

Once they settled in at the gate to wait for the flight to start boarding, Tommy decided to tell Rocky about the episode the day before when Kim fell.

"Hey, Rocky?"

"What's up, Tommy?"

"Yesterday, when Kim fell, I swear it was my back that hit that bar. I couldn't move for about an hour. And I think I may have blacked out for a moment when her head hit the mats."

"You two are still that connected? Wow."

"Yeah. It was scary for a bit there." Tommy sat there thinking for a moment. If he and Kim were that solidly connected, could it mean that she really hadn't written the letter?

He could only hope that what Rocky had told him was the truth and that she would forgive him for not trying to talk to her about it sooner.


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.

SUMMARY: Everyone is finding out about the extent of Kim's injuries. How will they respond?

* * *

Billy, Kevin, and Ana stood in front of the coach in total shock. He had just relayed the information about Kim's condition to them.

Billy felt tears welling up in his blue eyes. _'Kimberly – not walk again. That's impossible.'_

"Coach, is it not possible for the doctor to be wrong?" Kevin asked.

"Of course it is possible. But we will not try to convince her either way."

"Affirmative. Kimberly must decide how far she will push herself." Billy smiled. "Of course, being as well acquainted with her as I am, I feel uniquely qualified to comment on her determination and discipline, I think I can state with a fair degree of certainty that she will not consign to be a permanent invalid."

Kevin, Ana, and Coach Schmidt looked at each other in utter confusion. "He said that he knows Kimberly well enough to know that she's not going to give up." They turned to face the newcomers.

Billy's face lit up when he saw his friends behind him. "Trini! Zack! Jason! How did you get here so quickly?!?!"

"We caught a flight about an hour after Kim fell. We didn't even bother to pack anything," Zack said. "Kim needs us and here we are, that's all that matters."

Trini stepped up to Billy who embraced his longtime friend. "How did **YOU** get here so quickly?"

"Zordon." The one word explained everything to the three. They would talk more later.

"Is Tommy coming?" Jason asked.

"That's a sensitive subject. We'll explain later," Billy said.

"Rocky and Tommy are flying in this afternoon about 4. Aisha is too." Kevin looked around at the faces surrounding him. "I told Rocky it would not be such a good idea but he insisted."

"Did anyone tell him that she didn't write the letter?" Billy asked.

"What letter?" asked Zack with a look of complete confusion.

* * *

Tommy sat on the plane thinking about what Rocky had told him the night before. _'Is it possible? Could her mother have done this? Does she disapprove of me that much?'_

He had known deep down that Mrs. Dumas was not completely okay with the relationship he shared with Kimberly but he didn't realize that she was so upset about it.

'_Dear God! Could she have been so horrible? So horrible as to hurt her daughter that badly?'_

A sense of urgency overtook him. He had to get to Kimberly and find out what was going on.

* * *

Tommy and Rocky stepped off the plane in Miami with Rocky trying to find Kevin.

"Rocky! Mon ami!" Kevin walked up to the two Rangers. "You must be Tommy."

"I told him what you said, Kevin. He knows that you don't trust him."

"I only protect my friend because I was there the whole week she tried to call you. I was there with her when she stopped eating. She is still very fragile when it comes to you. I will not allow you to hurt her again."

"I will be the first to admit that I messed up. I should have called her to find out what was going on. I only hope that Kim will forgive me and give me another chance."

"Don't push her. She needs time to recover first. Give her that."

"I will. I promise you that much."

"Tommy! Rocky!" Both young men spun just in time to catch the former Yellow Ranger. "It feels like it's been forever."

"It's just a shame that it took something as tragic as this to bring you home," Rocky said, hugging his long time friend. Aisha nodded, smiling sadly.

She turned to Kim's friend. "Kevin, how is she?"

"Still unconscious when I left." Just then, his cell phone rang. "Allo?"

"Kevin, it's Billy."

"Billy, what is it?" Aisha, Rocky and Tommy looked at each other. What was Billy doing here?

"Kim's awake. The doctor's in with her now. Kevin, it looks like she's blind."

"We'll be there soon, mon ami." Kevin hung up and looked at the three new arrivals. "Let's go. Kim's awake."

The four young people piled into the car the coach had hired for their ride to the hospital.


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.

SUMMARY: Kim's awake. How will her friends take the news that she's blind as well as unable to walk?

* * *

When the four teens walked up outside Kim's door, Ana was walking into the hallway, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Kevin ran up to his sister and wrapped his arms around her.

"She sounded so frightened!" Ana sobbed into his chest.

"There now. I'm here, Ana." Rocky stepped up beside her and placed a comforting hand on the trembling shoulder.

"May I go in while you comfort Ana?" Aisha asked gently. Kevin just nodded. Aisha walked into the room, leaving the door open. "Kim? Kimberly?"

"Aisha? Is that you?" Aisha rushed to sit in the chair beside her former teammate. Unbeknownst to either girl, Tommy moved closer to the door.

"I'm here, girl. I'm right here and I ain't goin' nowhere until you're better."

"Sha, did anyone call Tommy?" Kim's voice was quiet but almost hopeful. Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye, Aisha made a flash decision.

"No one called him. Do you want me to?"

"I – I – I don't know. Aisha, I miss him so much. It's been three months since the last time I actually talked to him. I miss him so much that sometimes I call his house just to hear his voice on the machine. I would really hate for him to see me like this but at the same time I really wish he was here."

"You'd hate for him to see you how?"

"All crippled and broken. I'm sure he'd really want to stick around with me blind and crippled with little hope of recovery."

Tommy felt a lump in his throat that threatened to choke him as Kim spoke. He didn't see her as crippled. He saw a beautiful, courageous woman who had a heart bigger than any ten Zords put together. He saw a friend who needed his help and support. He saw the woman he loved.

"Kimberly Anne Hart! Don't you ever say that again! You'll get back on your feet. I'm here to make sure of that." Aisha wasn't about to let Kim give before the fight even began.

"The doctor said…."

"And if you listen to him, you'll get exactly the results that he predicts," Aisha cut in. "I traveled all the way from Africa to help. Jason, Zack and Trini are here from Switzerland and Rocky and Billy are here too. We're going to get you back on your feet. Then, you're going back to Angel Grove and get your man back."

Kim hung her head. "I guess Rocky didn't tell you about the letter."

"Yes he did. He also told me that you believe your mother wrote it and why. Once we get you back on your feet, we'll make Tommy see that you couldn't have written that letter."

"Aisha, it's useless. Tommy's moved on by now. Hell, he probably moved on to Kat."

"Kim, tell me something. If you could tell Tommy one thing right now, what would it be?"

"That I still love him very much." Kim sighed. "Sha, when I was falling, I could have sworn I heard Tommy's voice screaming my name."

Tommy's breath caught in his throat and he gasped. Kim's head turned toward the sound. "Who's there?"

He walked into the room, knowing only that he needed to be close to her. Aisha stood up and gestured to the chair. Tommy sat down and took Kim's hand.

"Tommy?" Her voice was soft and tremulous. His tears started flowing as he held her hand.

"I'm sorry, Beautiful. I'm so sorry." He kissed her hand.

"Tommy, don't."

"I should have called. Or at least answered your calls. Forgive me?"

"Always. I've missed you more than anyone can imagine."

He moved up to sit on the edge of the bed next to her tentatively placing a hand on her waist. "I've missed you too. Every time the phone rang, I told myself to just pick it up. I told myself I should talk to you. Billy told me to talk to you. Hell, Rocky even told me to talk to you."

"Kat and Adam wouldn't talk to me at all. They hung up on me and wouldn't even tell me why."

Tommy ran his other hand down her arm and gazed into her sightless brown orbs. "Kim, don't quit on me. I know we both need time to rebuild the trust we once shard but please don't quit on me."

"I don't know if I can do this, Tommy." Her eyes flooded with unshed tears.

"We can do this together, Beautiful." He laced the fingers of one hand with hers and squeezed tightly.


	7. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine. Wishing just ain't the same as having.

SUMMARY: Tommy, Rocky and Billy are in Florida to help with Kimberly's injuries. Aisha's back from Africa and Jason, Zack and Trini have flown in from Switzerland. Can they get their friend back on her feet? Can Tommy be a part of Kim's life once again?

A/N: I know some of you are probably wondering how Tommy and Rocky are going to be able to be away from Angel Grove for any length of time. That will be explained in this and future chapters. I'm hoping that I can keep things moving along. My beta's working as fast as she can on the proofs for the chapters but unfortunately we have to live in the real world. My ideal world would allow me to write all the time and not have to worry about bills or rent or any of that adult stuff that we all have to deal with at some point in our lives.

* * *

For the next three days, Trini, Aisha, and Ana kept Kim company while the guys started setting up a plan for Kim's rehabilitation.

"Now, Miss Hart, I hope you understand that while your physical therapy will not allow for a complete recovery, it will make your life easier and allow you some small degree of independence."

"Doctor Johansen, we plan on getting her back on her feet regardless of the difficulties. We simply won't be satisfied with limited independence," Trini said. Aisha and Ana nodded in agreement.

"We need to be realistic, ladies. Kimberly's back was seriously damaged in that fall. Not to mention the fact that she is blind and we don't know how long that state of affairs will persist."

"Doctor, if you can't be positive, don't bother us. Kim needs positive people around her in order to recover," Aisha declared, taking Kim's hand to offer support.

The doctor shrugged and left the room.

* * *

Back in Angel Grove, Kat, Adam and Tanya wondered where their three friends had gone.

They went to the Power Chamber to ask Zordon what was going on.

"Zordon, do you know where Billy, Tommy, and Rocky went?" Kat asked.

"THEY HAVE GONE TO MIAMI TO ASSIST IN KIMBERLY'S RECOVERY."

"But what about the Machine Empire?"

"PRINCE TREY OF TRIFORIA IS COMING TO ASSIST US. ALSO, I HAVE CALLED ON SOME OTHERS TO AID US AS WELL. FOR RIGHT NOW, YOUR TEAMMATES ARE NEEDED IN FLORIDA MORE THAN THEY ARE HERE."

"I'm surprised that Tommy went. Especially after that letter," Tanya said.

"TOMMY HAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS MORE TO THE LETTER THAN IT ORIGINALLY APPEARED. KIMBERLY NEEDS HIS STRENGTH NOW MORE THAN EVER. AND HE IS SHOWING MATURITY BEYOND HIS YEARS BY GOING TO HER."

"Zordon, who are these new people you plan on bringing in?" Adam asked.

"THE FIRST ONE IS A SUGGESTION FROM ROCKY. HIS NAME IS JUSTIN STEWART. HE WILL BE TEMPORARILY TAKING OVER THE MANTLE OF THE BLUE RANGER." Justin's image came up on the viewing globe.

"But, Zordon, he's just a little boy!" Kat exclaimed.

"HE MAY BE YOUNG BUT ROCKY BELIEVES THAT HE CAN FULFILL THE DUTIES OF THE BLUE RANGER ADMIRABLY." Zordon paused. "TOMMY HAS ASKED A FELLOW RED RANGER TO COVER HIS POSITION TEMPORARILY." Andros' image flashed up on the globe. "ANDROS HAS BEEN TRAINED FROM A YOUNG AGE TO BE A RANGER AND COMES FROM A LONG LINE OF RANGERS. HE IS LEAVING HIS TEAM ON KO-35 TO HELP US."

"What will happen to his team?" Adam asked.

"THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS IN QUITE SOME TIME SO ANDROS DOES NOT FORESEE ANY PROBLEMS WITH IM LEAVING FOR A SHORT WHILE."

Just then, a red flash of light entered the Command Center. A young man stood in front of them with light brown hair with blonde streaks.

"I'm Andros."

* * *

Kim was alone for the first time in hours. _'I love them. But I need a little time to think.'_

Tommy hadn't even been in to visit in hours. Right now, she just wanted him close. He was her anchor in this chaos.

Trini and Aisha were trying to keep her spirits up. But them trying so hard was only stressing her further. Tommy had come in each night and just sat with her in silence until she fell asleep. Then, he would go out to the waiting room in order to be close to Kim in case she needed him.

'_Tommy, where are you?'_

"I'm right here, Beautiful." He sat down on the bed, brushing the hair back from her face. "I was just waiting for everyone else to leave you alone for the night."

"Will you brush my hair? You know, like you used to back - - back in Angel Grove?"

Sitting her up on the bed, Tommy picked up her brush before sliding her forward so he could sit behind her. Ever so gently, he started running the brush through the satiny, caramel colored locks he had always adored.

He could almost see the smile crossing her face as he brushed. She was always so happy when he brushed her hair. He remembered the time she had fallen asleep on him in her mother's living room.

_**FLASHBACK**_

_It had been a rough battle. Kim had gotten home to find her mother had gone out with some guy._

"_Why don't you wait here while I go up and shower?" Kim said, blushing._

"_Okay," Tommy answered. Kim walked upstairs._

_She returned ten minutes later carrying her hair brush. "Would you mind brushing my hair for me?"_

_He took the brush and allowed her to settle herself between his legs. She leaned forward as he began running the brush through the soft caramel locks._

_Within an hour, Kim had started dozing off. Tommy set the brush on the coffee table and leaned back on the couch, a smile crossing his face. His teammate lay back with her head on his chest. Both of them were asleep in moments._

_Mrs. Hart woke them up around midnight, her expression disapproving. Kim was awake in an instant._

"_Kimberly, go to your room," she bit out._

"_Mommy, nothing happened. I swear to you nothing happened." Kim was standing between Tommy and her mother. "Mommy, you have to believe me! Nothing happened!"_

"_Kimberly, go to your room. Young Mr. Oliver and I need to talk."_

_Tommy turned her around. "Go on, Kim. I'll be okay." He leaned in and kissed her forehead._

_Tommy and Mrs. Hart never got to have the talk she mentioned to her daughter. Tommy got a phone call from his parents and had to go home._

_**END FLASHBACK**_

Thinking about the night we fell asleep in my mom's living room?" she asked, her voice soft and sleepy.

"Your mom never really approved of me, did she?"

"No. But I never thought she'd stoop so low as to try to break us up."

Tommy set the brush aside. "I didn't either. At least we're together now. And I'm not leaving." When Kim tried to stifle a yawn, Tommy chuckled. "I should move so you can get some sleep."

"No. Stay." She leaned back against him and he simply wrapped his arms over her shoulders. She was asleep in no time with him following shortly after.


	8. Chapter 8

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.

SUMMARY: Kim's still in the hospital and several of her friends have arrived to help her. She and Tommy have discussed the letter and he's accepted the fact that Kim's mom was never accepting of their relationship.

A/N: I'm so glad that people are still reading this. I hope everyone stays tuned.

* * *

Showing up at eight the next morning, Kim's friends were surprised to see no sign of Tommy in the waiting room.

"Where could he be?" Trini asked. As everyone else shrugged their shoulders, Ana tiptoed over to Kimberly's door to peek inside.

Closing the door, she slipped back to the group. "I know where he is," she said with a sly grin on her face. When everyone looked at her, she simply pointed to the door.

Aisha went to the door and pushed it open. _'It's so good to see them together like that.'_

Rocky stepped to her side placing one arm around her shoulder. "They look comfortable. Let's leave them alone," he whispered, pulling her away from the door as he closed it on their sleeping friends.

* * *

Jason and the others were sitting in the waiting room when the doctor came to check on Kimberly. He was surprised to see them there.

At least until he opened the door to his patient's room. Walking to the side of the bed, he put a hand on Tommy's shoulder.

When Tommy opened his eyes and turned to look at the doctor, the older man smiled. "Good morning, son."

"Is it?"

"It's about 9:30. How is she?"

"She slept peacefully all night." Both of them were trying to keep their voices down in order to let Kim sleep. They both knew that Kim had been waking up with nightmares about the fall.

"I'll just check her vitals and leave." The doctor did just that.

* * *

"Is she okay, doctor?" Jason asked, standing up as the doctor entered the waiting room.

"She seems fine for the time being. She's still sleeping but the young man with her tells me that she slept soundly last night for the first time since the accident. That's a vast improvement."

"She used to sleep with a white tiger that she found in a toy shop nearby. She told me it had Tommy's eyes and made her feel safe." Jason felt tears welling up in his eyes.

Just then, Tommy walked out of the room rubbing his eyes. "Is she awake, Tommy?" Trini asked.

"Yeah. She woke up just a moment ago. She asked if we were going to start physical therapy today."

"What did you tell her?"

"I said I needed to talk to you guys first."

"Doctor, would it be possible or prudent to begin a course of hydrotherapy this morning?" Billy asked.

"Possible, yes. However, I'm not sure about the prudence."

"Doctor, Kim wants out of her bed. If we don't start soon, she's likely to do something reckless to get our attention."

"Like the time she tried to get up out of her bed after hitting her head?" Aisha piped up.

"Exactly. So Doctor, do you understand what we mean?"

"I understand. I'm just not sure it's the wisest move."

"Let's get her ready," Trini said, taking Aisha's hand. The two disappeared into Kim's room.

* * *

"Okay, Kim. We're in the physical therapy wing. We're going to start with the pool," Billy told her as he wheeled the chair down the hallway.

"Where's Tommy?"

"He's waiting for us at the pool," Billy explained. "He insisted that he and Jason be the ones to train with you, especially at first."

"We're really close to the pool, aren't we?" She could smell the chlorine. She smiled, thinking of that day at the beach, when her power coin was stolen. Her power coin being stolen wasn't what was making her smile though. She remembered how Tommy looked in his trunks.

"Thinking about Tommy in his trunks?" Aisha giggled. She'd seen that look before.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Kim, when it comes to Tommy, you're open book," Trini said with a smile. "Remember the first time you saw him?"

"How can I forget?"

"I seem to recall you developed a sudden inability to communicate for a significant duration of time," Billy chuckled.

At Aisha's bewildered look, Trini translated. "Kim couldn't talk about anything for a while."

"Not true!" Kim protested. "I could talk about anything!"

"As long as the subject was a little over six feet tall with brown eyes and brown hair," Trini giggled.

"And who are we discussing?" Jason asked as everyone walked into the pool room.

"Kimberly's fascination with a certain young man of our acquaintance and her distinct inability to coherently communicate about any other topic after her first look at him."

"Tommy, they're talking about you!" Jason called out.

Tommy walked over and knelt in front of Kim. "Morning, Beautiful."

"Morning, Handsome."

"Shall we get started?"

"Yes, please." She held up her arms for him to pick her up after sliding them out of her robe.


	9. Chapter 9

DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Just borrowing them for a little while.

SUMMARY: Kim and her friends are at the therapy pool. They're about to start working with her in the pool.

A/N: Here's a treat for everyone. A second chapter in one day. Thank you all so much! Six reviews in less than an hour after posting.

* * *

She felt Tommy's arms wrap around her waist and entwined her own arms around his neck. He pulled her to her feet and then scooped her into his arms and walked to the edge of the pool.

Tommy sat down at the edge of the pool. "Are you ready?" he asked as Jason slipped into the pool.

"I guess."

"Kim, are you okay?"

"I'm a little scared."

"You trust us?" She nodded. "You know we won't let anything happen to you?"

"Of course."

"Here we go, Beautiful." Tommy handed her off to Jason who held her as Tommy slipped into the water.

"We're going to start with some basic floating. Ready, sis?"

Kim's slight form was trembling. She had her arms wrapped tight around Jason's neck. Trini noticed how pale her diminutive friend was and worried for her. "Kim, are you okay?" she called.

Tommy stood in front of Jason, wondering what was wrong. "Kim, talk to me. What's wrong?"

"I can't see where the edge of the pool is and I can't use my legs to keep me from sinking."

"Kim, you aren't going to sink because either Jase or I will have our hands on you at all times."

"That's right. One, if not both of us will be holding you safe the whole time."

Tommy stepped up and clasped hands with Jason. Timidly, Kim transferred one arm to Tommy's shoulders as the guys shifted her to a slightly more central point.

"Just lay back and stretch out your arms, Kim. We aren't letting you go." Jason spoke to her softly.

"You're safe. Safe in the arms of two people who love you dearly." Tommy had taken up the soft cadence as Kim lay back. She wasn't completely relaxed but she was getting there. "Relax, beautiful. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere." He bent over and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Kim."

"Don't let me go," she whispered.

"Never again, beautiful. Never again."

* * *

They had finally gotten her to relax. It had taken almost an hour to do, but she had eventually relaxed enough for Jason to step away, leaving Tommy to hold her alone.

Tommy had continued talking to her as she floated. Eventually, he had relaxed her to the point where he actually took both his hands away from her.

After a moment or two of floating on her own, Kim used her arms for a few tentative strokes.

"Good going, Kim! That's fantastic!" Tommy encouraged her from his place by her side.

"That's not as easy when you don't have your legs to help move you through the water," she said, returning to floating for a moment.

"It'll take a little while to build up your arms to where you can swim for long periods. But, if you give yourself the time, eventually you could be as mobile in the water as you used to be on land."

"Do you think so?"

"I know so. You are a strong young woman who is determined to do whatever you make up your mind to."

"I'm almost afraid of how long this is going to take. I think I can make it if you guys stay with me. You **are** going to stay with me, right?" she begged with a questioning look.

"We're not leaving you, sis," Jason said from her other side. "We're with you until you get back on your feet."

"He's right, Kim." Rocky was standing next to Tommy. "We don't plan on leaving until you're okay."

"What about the team?" she asked.

"Covered. We called in another Red to cover Tommy and I temporarily handed over my spot."

"Really? So you guys are really staying?"

"We wouldn't lie to you. Not about this." Rocky lightly touched her shoulder. "We're here for you."

"I think I need to work a little more before I start crying," Kim smiled. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Everyone chuckled and cleared the way so she could swim a little more.

* * *

Of course, when they returned to Kim's room a couple of hours later, no one expected the greeting they got.

"My daughter should be resting, not out running around with her friends."

"Mommy?" Kim asked, paling. Fear, frustration and anger crossed her face.


	10. Chapter 10

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.

SUMMARY: Kim's mother has shown up at the hospital. Will Kimberly let her mother make decisions for her or will she stand up to her mother?

* * *

"Kimberly, come here. Let me take a look at you." Caroline Dumas approached her daughter; a distinct look of disapproval on her face. "Look at your hair. Soaking wet."

"Mother, we were at the hospital pool, working on my upper body strength. It's part of my physical therapy."

"No need to worry about that, dear. I'm taking you back to Paris with me."

"I'm not going to Paris, Mother."

"Of course you are. You'll come back to Paris where you'll be properly taken care of. You'll want for nothing."

Kimberly sighed. "Mother, I'm not going to Paris. I'm staying here. I don't want to be waited on hand and foot. I want to build up my arms so that I can do some things for myself."

"Kimberly, I've already made the arrangements for a 24-hour nurse as well as maids to take care of your every need." Kim was getting desperate to make her mother listen.

"You want my every need taken care of but you don't want to do it yourself. Why should I go to Paris then?" She paused for effect. "After what you pulled, sending that letter to Tommy, you should be grateful that I'm even talking to you!"

"What do you mean? What letter?"

"Mother, Tommy received a letter that he swore was in my handwriting. It went to the Youth Center. Tommy knows that I would never have broken up with him in a letter. Who do you know here that would have sent it on to him?"

But Caroline saw the look that crossed Tommy's face. "He might know it now, but he believed the letter for a while. Didn't you, Tommy?" she asked with a gloating sneer.

"It doesn't matter now. He's here when he didn't have to be. He didn't have to come to help me."

"He wouldn't have come if he hadn't known." She glared at Rocky.

"I didn't tell him!" Rocky protested.

Kevin and Ana slipped out of the room. Trini, Jason, Billy, Zack, Rocky and Aisha decided it would be wise to follow their example, leaving Kim and Tommy to face Mrs. Dumas alone.

"I knew about Kim's accident before Rocky said anything. I was watching in my living room alone." He looked down at the love of his life. "I felt it when you hit."

"Impossible!" Caroline scoffed. Tommy lifted the back of his shirt and turned around so that Mrs. Dumas could see the massive bruise on his back.

"The doctor told me that Kim hit her back in the exact same spot as that bruise. I couldn't move for almost an hour after the accident. When I saw you slip, my mind screamed for you."

"I heard it, Tommy." Kim's eyes gleamed as tears glistened in her eyes and started streaking her cheeks.

"Kimberly, you're coming home to Paris. I'm still your mother and I still have custody of you until you turn eighteen."

"Mom, you don't want to push this. I turn eighteen in just three months."

"Do you mean to tell me you plan to tie this up for the next three months?"

"If you push the issue, yes. Tommy, Jason and the others are trying to keep me from being a total invalid for the rest of my life. It would be nice to have your support in this. But I'm going to do it regardless."

"Do you really think he's going to stick around? He's going to leave you eventually when he gets tired of taking care of you."

"Mom, he's not going to leave me. He wants to take care of me."

"He's going to do the same thing to you that your father did to me!"

"He's not Dad!" Kim yelled. "Dad abandoned me too. Or did you forget that?" She took a deep breath. "Tommy's not Dad. He same to help even after the letter you sent. He loves me."

"You'd better believe it, beautiful. I plan on seeing you on your feet. And I plan on being right by your side the whole time."

Caroline threw up her hands in defeat. "Then you do this on your own. I'm going back to Paris and if you don't go with me, you will receive no further support from me."

"You're cutting me off?" Kimberly clutched the arms of her wheelchair.

"You made yourself clear. Now let me do the same. If you choose this hoodlum over me, you won't receive not one single penny of support from me. Nor will you hear from me until you come to your senses and leave him." Caroline swept her jacket around her.

"Mommy!" Kim cried, pushing off the arms of the wheelchair. Before Tommy could stop her, Kim landed face first on the floor.

Her mother swept out of the room as Tommy knelt beside the brunette and gently rolled her sobbing form into his arms.


	11. Chapter 11

DISCLAIMER: Nope not mine yet. Still wishing

SUMMARY: Kim's mother has left after cutting her off. Kim is on the floor where she threw herself out of the wheelchair to try to stop her mother from leaving.

* * *

Tommy settled Kim on the bed and stormed out of the room. He walked up to Billy with a look of complete and utter frustration on his face. "Billy, will you keep an eye on Kim?"

"What happened, Tommy?"

"Her mother – her mother abandoned her." Tommy looked over at Jason. "I need to spar. Jason nodded and gestured to Zack and Rocky to follow them as the two friends left the hospital.

Kevin held his sister as Trini and Aisha sat down hard. Both were thinking the same thing. _'How could she do that to Kim? She needs all the support she can get right now.'_

* * *

Billy walked into Kim's room to find his friend sitting on her bed sobbing hysterically. He felt his own heart break at the sight of the tears streaming down her face. "Kimberly?" he queried softly.

Sniffling Kimberly lifted her head. "Billy? Is that you?"

He sat down on the bed and folded Kim into his arms. "It's me. Tommy asked me to keep an eye on you so he and Jason could go spar. I have a feeling that Jason will be hard-pressed to defend himself this time."

"They'll both come back black and blue."

"Affirmative."

Kim giggled for a moment and then broke down again. Billy simply rocked Kim, knowing that nothing he said would get through to her.

"Billy, she hates me." Kim's soft whisper barely reached her friend's ear.

"Kim, she's your mother. What mother could hate her child? Especially one as beautiful and talented as you are. If she's any kind of mother, she will come around and understand."

"She doesn't like Tommy. That's why she left. She wants to take me to Paris where I'll be waited on hand and foot. She wants to keep me a cripple for the rest of my life."

He simply held his friend tightly for a while.

* * *

Tommy and Jason had found a quiet, secluded spot in a park near the hospital. The two shed their shirts and took stances facing each other.

Rocky and Zack took up stations to keep their friends from being disturbed. They both knew that Tommy needed a full-bore, full-contact sparring session. He was stressed and they knew that it wasn't a good thing. He couldn't help Kim at all with the shape he was in.

The two young men bowed and began their session. Tommy scored the first hit with Jason scoring not long after.

It went like that, back and forth, for more than an hour before Tommy finally broke down.

"That cold-hearted bitch! Look at what she's doing to Kim!" he shouted as he drove Jason backward with a flurry of fists. "She's only thinking of herself! Not her daughter!"

Then, he stopped for a moment. "But what if she's right?"

"What are you talking about, bro?"

"Maybe Kim deserves better than me. Of all people, I should have known that Kim would never have sent a letter like that to me at the Youth Center. Hell, I should have known that she would never break up with me in a letter at all. She would have at least had the guts to call me or come and tell me personally."

"Tommy, don't do this to yourself," Jason started.

"No, man. Her mother was right. I'm no good for her. Maybe I should just go back to Angel Grove."

"If you take off now, Kim will be even more hurt than she is now. Mrs. Dumas would get her way again. Then, I'll have to come out there and beat you good."

"As if you could."

"I will if you hurt her. Right now, Kim needs all the help and support she can get. She needs you. Her white knight." Jason put his hands on Tommy's shoulders. "She trusts you, Tommy. Do you really want to hurt her like that?"

Tommy hung his head. "No. I can't hurt her like that." An image popped into his mind; Kim sitting amongst the ruins of her model float, tears streaming down her face.

"Remembering when Rita targeted Kim's float?"

"She was so broken."

"And you were thinking about doing the same thing to her now. Don't hurt her Tommy. She needs you to be strong for her."

Tommy raised his head to look Jason in the eye. "Thanks, bro. I needed that. I'll probably need it again before this is over."

The two clasped arms and started back to the hospital, slipping their shirts on as they walked.


	12. Chapter 12

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.

SUMMARY: Kim's mother has disowned her. Tommy was so angry that he pulled Jason out of the hospital to go for a full contact sparring session. Jason had to talk Tommy out of leaving.

* * *

Kevin saw the four young men walking down the hall about the same time Trini did. She ran to Jason, throwing herself into his arms. He hugged her tightly for a moment before she pushed him away. "You need a shower," she said wrinkling her nose.

"Blame Tommy. He's the one that needed a workout," Jason chuckled, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

"It's not my fault that Jason's the only one who can truly challenge me!" Tommy protested, throwing an arm around his friend.

"You need one too," she squealed, darting away from the two of them.

Kevin approached them. "It is good that you returned. Billy has yet to leave Kimberly's room. I'm afraid she thinks that you left her for good."

"I'll go in and reassure her. After that, I really need to find a shower."

"I'm sure the coach would not mind if you showered at the center," Kevin offered. "I'll walk over there with you. Since tomorrow begins the men's competition, I need some practice time."

"Thanks. I'll be right back out." Tommy headed directly toward Kim's door.

* * *

Silently, Tommy eased open the door to Kim's hospital room. He felt a smile spread across his face as he took in the sight before him.

Billy sat on the edge of Kimberly's bed, her head resting on his shoulder. Tommy stepped around in front of Billy.

"She's asleep," Billy whispered, relief obvious in his tone.

"How long?"

"About 45 minutes. She hasn't moved since." Tommy reached out and gently lifted her from his friend's shoulder.

"Tommy?" she murmured softly, nestling against his chest. Billy moved off the bed, pulling back the covers.

"I'm right here," he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

He gently placed his girlfriend on the bed and pulled the covers up around her. Kissing her forehead, he sat down next to her, feeling his heart contract when he saw the tear tracks on her face.

"You left me." It was a simple statement but it had a massive impact on him.

"I need to work out some stress." He took a deep breath and took Kimberly's hands. "I was so furious with your mother that I seriously needed to spar with someone I didn't have to hold back with."

"And me? Were you angry with me?" Her voice was small, almost inaudible.

"Of course not. Why would I be angry with you?" He gently pressed a palm to Kim's cheek. "I am NOT angry with you for that little stunt with the wheelchair. Beautiful, I'm never angry with you. You were just trying to keep your mother from abandoning you."

Suddenly, Kim pulled her hands away from Tommy and pressed them against her head, closing her eyes tightly.

"Kim?"

"My head. Tommy, it hurts."

"Should I call the doctor?"

"Don't leave me!" Tommy knew that they would need to know what was going on.

"I won't, Kim. I'm right here." Looking around he saw that Billy was still in the room.

Seeing the look in Tommy's eyes, the young genius stepped forward. "Kim, take a deep breath. You need to calm down and tell me what's going on."

The young woman did as she was told. Taking several deep breaths, Kim reached for Tommy. "My head is pounding. It hurts so much."

"Where is the pain centered?" Billy asked.

"Right behind my eyes."

"I want you to open your eyes."

Slowly Kim's eyes opened to reveal the brown color. Crying out, she snapped them closed again.

"What is it, Kim?" Billy came up beside Kim.

"Bright flashes. Bright white flashes." At Billy's nod, Tommy pressed the call button.

"Yes?"

"We need a doctor in Kimberly Hart's room."

"What's wrong?"

"She's seeing bright white flashes in front of her eyes.

"He'll be right there."

Not even a full minute later, the doctor came in. "Let's see what's going on."

He told Kim to open her eyes. She cried out again. "Keep them open."

"It hurts!" Kim cried. Tommy squeezed her hand. He could tell how hard she was fighting to keep her eyes open so the doctor could check them.

"Just a bit longer," the doctor assured her.

Tears welling up in her eyes made it difficult to examine them.

"Kimberly, I'm going to bandage your eyes. I can't be sure of exactly what's going on but it looks like your eyes may be trying to restore themselves. What I'm going to do is try to protect them from trying too hard."

"Doctor, she hit her head earlier. Could that be what caused this?" Tommy asked.

"It is a possibility, but we can't be certain. We'll have to wait and see." The doctor bandaged Kim's eyes and left the room.


	13. Chapter 13

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.

SUMMARY: Kim's eyes hurt and the doctor thinks her sight might come back soon.

* * *

"Kim, I'm going to go have a shower and come right back. I promise."

"Do you have to?" Kim asked with a little pout.

"Trini, Aisha and Ana will come sit with you. I don't think you want me too close to you right now. Kevin offered to let us shower at the center. I'm guessing it's closer than the hotel Jason and the others are staying at."

"It is. Besides, Kevin probably needs some practice time." She smiled.

"Well, he did tell us that he needed some time before the competition starts tomorrow."

"Okay. But I want a kiss before you go." She turned her face up for his kiss, knowing he'd never refuse her.

Chuckling, Tommy bent over and pressed his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close. She sniffed carefully at his neck.

Pulling away, she wrinkled her little nose delicately. "Stinky. Go shower. Come back when you smell better." She giggled.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be back soon, princess." He kissed her again and left the room.

* * *

Tommy and Jason walked into the gymnastics center. So many people were practicing that the two young men wondered if there would be enough space for them to grab a quick shower.

"Tommy! Jason!" Coach Schmidt called out as he moved toward them from where he'd been talking to Kevin. "Kevin told me what happened. I'll be glad to give you a place to spar as well as to shower."

"Thanks. We don't want to get in the way."

"That is not a problem. It is the least we can do for everything you've done for our Kimberly. The Pan-Global Committee agreed to postpone the medal ceremony for a few days until Kimberly can be there."

"I'll be sure to tell her when we get back to the hospital," Tommy told the coach. "She'll be glad to hear that."

"Tommy, let's go shower. Kim'll be wondering where we are."

"Yeah. We need to get going. Kim's going to start worrying."

Kevin showed the young men to the showers, then he went to practice.

* * *

Trini, Aisha and Ana sat around Kim's bed talking to her.

"Now, Kim, we need you to get back on your feet," Aisha said. "Trini flew in without packing anything. So we need to get you out of that bed so we can take her shopping."

"Aisha, I think we'll have to wait at least until I get my sight back."

"You'll be seeing again before you know it." Aisha sounded so confident that it was almost easy to believe that she was right.

"I hope you're right, Sha. I really hope you're right!"

* * *

Tommy and Jason stepped out of the locker room to see Kevin working out on the rings. They watched as he pressed into an inverted iron cross and held it. He followed that up with several giant swings and dismounted. His teammates slapped him on the back, telling what a great job he did.

"Pretty impressive," Tommy said.

"No kidding," Jason replied. "I would have never guessed that Kevin had that kind of upper body strength."

"I'll just go let him know that we're heading back to the hospital." Tommy clasped a hand to Jason's shoulder before moving toward the young Cajun.

The team cleared a path for him as he approached. Stopping in front of the young man who had become such a good friend to Kim, he smiled. "I may not have seen much but I'm impressed." He stuck out his hand which Kevin took. "Jase and I are heading back to the hospital. Will we see you there later?"

Kevin nodded. "I'll have to go back to see ma soeur before I walk Ana back to the dorms for the night." At Tommy's confused look, Kevin clarified. "While Ana is my sister, Kimberly is just like a sister to me and so I call her my sister as well."

"Aaaahhhh. Well, we'll see you later then." Kevin nodded. Tommy and Jason left the center.


	14. Chapter 14

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.

SUMMARY: Tommy's finally gotten the shower he needed. He's heading back to the hospital with Jason to see Kim.

A/N: I know. Three chapters in one day. It's incredible. I'm even working on a chapter for Different Shade.

* * *

Softly opening the door, Tommy slipped silently into Kim's room. Trini, Aisha, and Ana had dozed off in chairs around the room. Kim was laying quietly on her bed.

He crept to Kim's side and stood for a moment just watching her. _'She must be asleep. She'd have noticed me otherwise.'_

Kim started whimpering in her sleep and Tommy couldn't help but wonder what her dream was about.

_**DREAM**_

_Kim was living in Angel Grove. She'd learned to get around pretty well on her own and she'd found a small apartment that had room enough for her to get around in her wheelchair._

_Her friends were fantastic about helping her out with grocery shopping and the like. But she was still in love with Tommy who didn't seem to love her. At least, not the way she loved him._

_One day, Tommy knocked on her door with Kat. Kim invited them in. "Thank you, Kim," Kat gushed. "We wanted you to be the first to hear the news."_

"

"_Kat, why don't you go on out to the car? I just want to talk to Kim for a moment."_

"_Sure, Tommy. I'll wait for you out there." Kat left and Kim looked at Tommy with tears in her eyes._

"_Why, Tommy?"_

"_I had to. I can't handle seeing you in that chair anymore. I can't keep watching you struggle to walk and know that in all likelihood you never will." Tommy stood to leave, knowing that if she started crying he'd change his mind and stay._

_After he left, Kim locked her door and wheeled into her bedroom where she pulled herself onto the bed. She knew she'd have no company for a few days, allowing her the privacy she needed to grieve for love lost._

_**DREAM ENDS**_

Tommy brushed back the hair from her face. "Tommy?"

"I'm right here, beautiful. Right beside you."

"Don't leave me."

"Never again. You're stuck with me now."

"You never answered my calls after the letter." Kim felt she had to say it. She had to know why.

"That was my stubborn male pride. My ego if you will." He wrapped her tiny hand in his larger one. "Please forgive me. I should have answered your calls or called you and asked what was going on. I should have known that you would have never sent me a letter like that."

"Tommy, don't beat yourself up over this. I forgave you long ago. I just don't need the stress from this." She paused. "Can you take the gauze off? My face itches. Please?"

Tommy sighed. He reached out and started unwrapping the bandage from her face. "Close your eyes before I finish," he instructed softly.

"They're closed." He finished unwrapping the gauze and gently removed the pads from her eyes.

"Okay. Do you want to try opening your eyes?" She nodded. "Go slow. If it's too much, don't worry. We can try again later."

Slowly, one brown orb came into view followed by the other. Blinking a couple of times to bring everything into focus, Kim looked around the room.

Her eyes stopped on Tommy. "Well, handsome, long time no see," she whispered with tears filling her eyes. Holding out her arms, she smiled as he sat down on the bed and wrapped her in his arms.

* * *

An hour later, Kim opened her eyes to see the doctor standing at the foot of her bed. She nudged Tommy awake and then noticed that the other girls were conspicuous by their absence.

"How are your eyes, Ms. Hart?" he asked as Tommy got up off the bed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I can see, Doctor. I can see." Kim was so happy. The way she saw it, if she could just walk again, everything would be perfect.

**As long as her nightmare didn't come true.**


	15. Chapter 15

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.

SUMMARY: Kim's regained her sight but she won't tell Tommy about the nightmare that has her scared to death.

* * *

That night, as everyone else was leaving, the nurses wheeled in a fold-away bed and set it up right next to Kim's bed for Tommy. Once they left, Tommy made his bed and lay down. It had been a long day.

Kim had been unwilling to tell him what her nightmare had been about. He dropped the subject around the time her dinner had been brought in.

The question invaded his mind once again as Kim fell asleep clinging to his hand as if it were a rope thrown to a drowning victim.

'_What could possibly have scared her so bad that she clings to me like this? Why won't she tell me?'_ he pondered as he lay awake next to her.

His questions plagued him until exhaustion overtook him and he slept. _'Please don't leave me, beautiful,'_ was his last conscious thought that night.

* * *

Tommy woke up to Kim stroking the hair back from his face. "Good morning, handsome," she whispered with a smile.

"It is when I wake up to your smiling face." He propped himself up on one arm and leaned over to kiss her forehead. "I guess I should get this out of the way before your breakfast comes in."

Kim giggled and pointed at the stand on the other side of her bed. Her empty breakfast tray sat there waiting to be picked up. "It's almost ten, Tommy. I figured I'd let you sleep."

"Thank you. But you're the one who's recovering from a serious back injury."

"Tommy, you need rest as much as I do. You won't be able to help me if you don't rest. You'll be too tired."

"Kim, what were you dreaming about yesterday that had you so upset?"

Kim turned her head for a moment. "I remember a feeling of loss and loneliness. I just don't remember any details."

Tommy saw the look on her face and knew she was lying. He decided not to push the issue though. She had woke up in a good mood. "Anyway, are you ready for more therapy today?"

She turned back to him with her eyes alight with excitement. "Are we going back to the pool?"

"You better believe it. We're going to have you there for a couple of hours every day at least."

"Good!" She pulled herself into a more upright position. _'And I'll have Aisha and Trini work with me on standing for an hour or two each day if I can get you to go spar in the afternoon.'_

"Are you going to be okay if Jase and I go spar today?"

"I'll be fine. Just make sure you shower before you come back." She giggled. "Besides, I could use some time to catch up with Aisha and Trini."

"By the way, Coach Schmidt told me that the Committee had postponed the women's medal ceremony. They want you to be able to attend."

"Wow! That's so cool! Will you ask him to find out when they want to have it?" He nodded. "Thank you. I guess I'd better get ready to go down to the pool. If Trini's here, would you send her in to help me change?"

Tommy nodded as he folded up his bed and pushed it out of the way. He left the room.

* * *

Trini and Aisha walked into the room only to see Kim had already managed to struggle out of her clothes.

"Kimberly!" Trini exclaimed, coming to her side. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to get a swimsuit on." Kim had flipped the swimsuit down toward her feet and was fighting to get it over her feet.

"Would you like some help?"

"I wouldn't mind help but I have to learn to do for myself." Trini glanced at Aisha before bending to help Kimberly move her legs to get the suit on.

* * *

Kim wheeled herself out of the room and up to the one man who could bring her world crashing down around her. "I'm ready."

"What took so long?" Jason asked as the two of them stood up.

"She insisted on doing it by herself for the most part," Trini said as she stepped into Jason's embrace.

"That's our Firebird." Jason sounded so proud of her.

"I'm ready to go." She looked up at Tommy.

"Okay. Okay. Just remember; you won't get better all at once. We're happy with any progress." Tommy stepped around behind her. "How about I push and you rest your arms for a few minutes?"

"Okay." The two of them started down the hallway. Jason, Trini, Aisha and Rocky followed a little slower.

"Trini, talk to her later. See if you can find out what happened. Why she's suddenly so quick to push herself to get back on her feet."

"I'll try, Jase. I just don't know if she'll tell me." Trini was on the verge of tears. She knew something had scared Kim badly. It was the only time Kim pushed almost too hard to accomplish things. _'I need to find out what's bothering her.'_


	16. Chapter 16

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.

SUMMARY: Kim's determined to make sure that her nightmare doesn't come to pass and she won't talk to anyone about it. Can Trini find out what's wrong?

* * *

Kim was back in her room. Tommy and Jason had gone to spar.

"Talk to me, Kim. Why are you pushing so hard?" Trini asked.

"No reason," Kim shrugged.

"Don't give me that crap. I've known you for too long. I can always tell when something's bothering you." Trini put her hands on her hips. "Tell me the truth."

"It's nothing. Honest, Trini." She tried to look her lifelong friend in the eye but couldn't. "A dream," she admitted, slumping in her wheelchair.

Trini pulled up a chair on one side of her while Aisha did the same on the other side. "Tell us. We can help."

Kim proceeded to tell them about the nightmare haunting her. She didn't know what else to do. She was absolutely terrified by the thought of telling Tommy or even Jason. "Trini, you have to swear not to tell Tommy! You too, Sha!"

"We won't tell him. We swear." Aisha desperately needed to calm Kim down. She didn't want her freaking out. "Just promise us that you won't do anything crazy. Like pushing Tommy away."

"I won't but you guys have to help me. Help me get on my feet. Help me hold onto him." Tears glistened in Kim's eyes. "You have to help me."

Trini wrapped her arms around the desperate young woman. "We'll help you. But you have to agree to listen to us. If we say slow down, you slow down. Agreed?"

"Agreed. Thank you. Thank you so much." Tears started streaking down Kimberly's face.

* * *

The rest of the Rangers faced other problems while unaware of Kimberly's fight.

"Andros, look out!" Kat yelled as the cogs ran at him.

Andros spun around and attacked. Adam came running up alongside him. The two fought together almost as well as Jason and Tommy.

Kat and Tanya had been separated from the rest of the team but they seemed to be holding their own. Until one of the Cogs hit Tanya from behind with what seemed to be a cattle prod.

Tanya fell to the ground, unable to hold her morph. Justin ran up, taking out the creature that had attacked his yellow teammate. Tanya lay still, in a great deal of pain.

"Tanya!" Justin yelled, as he knelt beside her to help her to her feet. "Are you alright?"

Tanya just nodded before morphing and getting back to the fight.

Once they had defeated the last of the Cogs, the whole team essentially collapsed into a boneless heap on the ground.

"I think we'd better get back to the Power Chamber," Adam panted.

"I don't have the energy to stand," Kat responded. A mumbled consent greeted her statement. They simply pushed the buttons on their communicators from where they sat on the ground, teleporting them to the Power Chamber.

"Rangers!" Alpha exclaimed. "What happened?"

"I don't know, Alpha. The Cogs seemed stronger than usual. I don't understand. Is something weakening our tie to the Morphin Grid?"

"**It is possible, Andros. Particularly with Kimberly injured. She may be drawing on the Grid to assist in her healing."** Zordon looked down at the assembled Rangers. **"If she is doing so, she is unaware of it. Rest now, Rangers. I fear King Mondo will not let up in his attacks yet. Especially if he believes you have weakened."**

"Yes, Zordon." The teens left the Power Chamber.

"Zordon, can we communicate with Tommy?" Alpha asked.

"**We will try later. Perhaps we will be able to talk to Kimberly as well."**

"I miss Kimberly."

"**As do I, Alpha. We must maintain the hope that she will make a full recovery."**


	17. Chapter 17

DISCLAIMER: Nope not mine. Not yet anyway...

SUMMARY: Kim's having nightmares about Tommy leaving her and she finally managed to tell Trini and Aisha about them.

A/N: I hope you guys have forgiven me for taking so long to update these. I lost internet for about two months. I'm trying to catch up but it's not easy. I do have another story waiting in the wings but I'm trying to see if anyone wants to read it. So far no takers.

* * *

Kimberly was dozing on her bed when Tommy got back from sparring. He tapped Trini on the shoulder when he walked into the room. "Trini? I'm back. Jason's waiting outside for you."

"Thanks, Tommy." The young Asian woman slipped out of the room as Tommy sat down next to Kim and brought her hand to his lips.

Turning her head to face him, Kim's eyes fluttered open. "Hi, handsome."

"Are we working you too hard, beautiful?"

"I'm okay. Once I get used to the difference between my gymnastics routine and this, I'll be fine." Seeing the look on his face, she gripped his hand. "Honest, Tommy. I'm going to be fine."

A familiar six-tone signal interrupted them. "I read you, Zordon."

**"Tommy, it is good to hear your voice. Alpha and I wanted to check with you and see how Kimberly is."**

"I'm doing better, Zordon. Thank you," Kimberly said, smiling at Tommy.

**"That is good to hear, Kimberly. I hope to hear that you are walking again soon."**

"I hope to be able to say it soon, Zordon. How is everyone there?"

**"The Rangers are having difficulties with the Cogs. The Machine Empire seems to be strengthening them. It appears that the team's tie to the grid seems to be weakening."**

"What's going on, Zordon? Is this because of me?" The look on Kim's face almost broke Tommy's heart as he squeezed her hand.

**"We do not know, Kimberly. We have never had a Ranger injured this severely before. However, I do not want you to worry. You need to focus on getting better. We will figure out what is happening."**

"We will keep you updated on things here, Zordon." Tommy smiled at Kim as he said it.

**"Thank you, Tommy. And we will keep you apprised of the situation here."**

"Thank you, Zordon. Tommy out." They heard the click as the channel closed.

"Tommy, do you think that I might be the reason the team seems to be having so many problems?"

"Kim, Zordon said he didn't know and he doesn't want you to worry. He wants you to get better." He smiled at her again. "The whole team wants you to get better."

"Do they? Do they really?" He saw the tears well up in her eyes. She really still thought that everyone was mad at her.

"Trust me. They do. Zordon will tell them what's going on and they'll all be sending you best wishes before you know it." Doubt filled her eyes. "Kim, they still care. They all thought you sent the letter, remember? I'm sure Zordon will be certain that they all understand that your mom sent the letter."

"Do you really think so, Tommy? Kat and Adam just hung up on me when I called to find out what was going on."

"Kim, they don't know what happened. I didn't know what happened until Rocky told me." What she said finally registered. "Kat and Adam hung up on you? Did they even give you a chance to explain?"

Kim shook her head. "The minute they heard my voice they just hung up without a word. Kevin and Ana both watched me start on a dangerous downward spiral that nearly went out of control. I wasn't eating or sleeping. I spent lots of time in the doctor's office with injuries from falls, missed grips and other stuff. Finally, Coach said that if I didn't straighten up, he'd cut me from the team." She bowed her head. "That almost didn't work."

"What finally turned you around?" Tommy felt like a heel for having ignored her phone calls when she needed him.

"Rocky and Billy. They came down to see me after Kevin called them and told them what I going through."

FLASHBACK 

"_Kim? Kim, open the door," Billy called. Her door was locked and she wasn't answering their knocks. They waited another five minutes. "Kimberly Ann Hart, if you don't open this door right now, I'm going to kick it in."_

_Billy put his ear to the door and listened intently for a moment. Suddenly, he stepped back and kicked in the door. Looking around, he was surprised to see Kim sitting in the open window, one leg outside and one inside._

_Rocky walked over to her. "Kim, come on inside. Talk to us."_

"_I'm cold. So cold." Her whispered voice sent chills down the two young men's backs._

_Billy held out a hand to his friend. "Kim, please come back in. Come and sit with me."_

_Almost timidly, she held out a hand. Billy grasped it firmly and pulled her inside. He wrapped an arm around her and steered her toward the couch. They sat down on the couch and Kim turned her head into Billy's shoulder. The next thing anyone knew her shoulders were heaving with silent sobs that were heartbreaking to see. _

"_It's okay, Kim. We're here." Billy held her and soothed her for a few minutes before she took a deep, shuddering breath and pulled back, looking into her friend's face for a long moment before saying the one thing that Billy had been expecting. _

"_But you're not him." _

Billy and Rocky made it a point to stay in close contact with Kimberly for the next several weeks. Even when they were sure that she was finally moving on, they still called her at least once a week to keep up with her and keep her up to date on what was going on in Angel Grove. Not once, though, did they mention _**him**_

_After all, Kim was still fragile when it came to mention of Tommy and neither one of them wanted a repeat of the last trip they had taken._

FLASHBACK ENDS 

"I'm so sorry, Kim. The guys never said anything to me."

"I made them promise not to. I didn't want you coming back because you felt you had to. I wanted you to come back because you wanted to."

"I'm here now. And I'm not leaving. I came because I wanted to. After all, there's no way that letter could have been real after my reaction to your fall."

"Can I see the mark?"

Tommy stood up and turned around, lifting his shirt as he did. Kim inhaled sharply when she saw the vivid bruise that still decorated his back. She reached out and touched his back carefully.

Dropping his shirt, Tommy turned back around. "It's okay, Kim. It doesn't hurt anymore." He leaned over and kissed her forehead before sitting back down beside her.


	18. Chapter 18

Three weeks after telling Trini and Aisha about the nightmare, Kim felt the first tingles in her right leg.

Kim and Tommy were swimming in the pool when a sharp tingle shot up her right leg. Gasping, Kim lost her concentration and slipped beneath the water's surface.

The sound of a splash behind him turned Tommy around. Jason was swimming toward where he had last seen … "Kimberly!"

Powerful strokes brought him to Kim's side about the same time Jason reached her. They nodded at each other and both dove under to catch their friend's arms. They pulled Kim up to the surface where Tommy gathered her into his arms.

When she finally recovered from the water she'd taken in, Tommy pressed his forehead to hers as they moved to the side of the pool. She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him desperately.

"Kim, what happened?" Trini asked as Jason took the young woman from Tommy's arms and set her in her wheelchair.

"It was a tingle. It shot straight up my right leg. You know that feeling that you get when your legs are waking up after being asleep? That's what it felt like, only hot and it came and went."

"I think we'll go back to your room and have the doctor take a look. He said to let him know if anything unusual happened."

Tommy pushed her back to her room where he went to get the doctor while the girls helped her change back into her regular clothes.

The doctor came in and looked over her legs and nodded several times. Then, he pulled Tommy outside in order to talk to him for a moment.

* * *

Tommy and Jason were at the gym sparring and Kim had been left alone with the girls. "Should we go shopping today?" Aisha asked.

"I guess we can." Kimberly wasn't sure if she really wanted to go out but part of her just wanted out of that hospital room.

"If you don't want to, we don't have to," Trini said. She didn't want Kim to feel uncomfortable or forced into going out.

"No. It's okay. I need to get out and start learning how to get around in public." Kim steeled herself not knowing how well known her story was by the general public.

* * *

The girls had been shopping for some time when Kim started feeling uneasy. She'd seen how people were looking at her. She'd seen some of them whispering to others. Apparently, the entire city knew what had happened to her.

"Guys, can we go back to the hospital now?" she asked as she watched Aisha and Trini try on yet more outfits. She'd even bought a couple. The girls thought it would help her to feel better if she had some new clothes.

"What's wrong, Kim?" Trini asked, kneeling beside her friend.

"I see the looks people are giving me. They pity me. They feel sorry for me. They're whispering about me."

"Kim, what do you expect? Yours was the worst injury in the history of the Games. Everybody knows what happened to you."

"Of course they feel sorry for you. But they also are amazed that you're out and about only three weeks after the injury. They want to talk to you but they aren't sure what to say."

"I just don't know what to do. I hate the pity in their eyes and I don't want it. I don't want people to feel sorry for me when they don't even know me." Kim sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

"Ignore them. You said it. They don't know you. We do and we know that eventually you'll get back on your feet." Aisha wanted her friend to cheer up. She wanted to let Kimberly know that what other people thought didn't matter.

"So what do we want to eat?" Trini tried taking Kim's mind off of the pitying looks that people were sending her way.

"I don't know."

"Do you really want to go back and have that nasty hospital food?" Aisha asked with a smile on her face.

"I guess Mexican sounds pretty good," Kim said with a slight shrug. Aisha and Trini smiled at each other, knowing that they had gotten her.

Twenty minutes later, the three girls had found seats on the outer edges of the food court where they could maneuver Kim's wheelchair up to the table. But Kim decided that she was going to sit in a chair like a normal person. She managed to get into the chair and waited for her food. Trini brought it over and smiled at her friend as they ate, chatting as if the wheelchair off to one side was not even a part of the picture.

"'Ello, my friends!" came Ana's cheery voice. "Might I have a seat with you?"

"Of course!" Kim exclaimed, happy to see her young friend.

She picked up her cup and shook it. "What's wrong, Kim?" asked Aisha.

"I'm empty. I guess I should go get some more. Would you bring my chair over here?" Ana nodded, walking over to the wheelchair to bring it to Kimberly. As Trini and Aisha moved to help her into it, Kim shook her head. "I have to learn to do this on my own."

She pulled herself into the chair and then wheeled over to the fountain. Reaching up she realized that she was just a little bit too short from the chair. Locking the wheels, the brunette pulled herself to a standing position and started filling her cup.

She was doing fine until some teenagers came along, not paying any attention. One of them nearly tripped over the wheelchair. He caught himself and spun on Kim.

"What the hell --?" He shoved the wheelchair away from the fountain. It landed about ten feet away on its side. "What's your problem?"

Ana had noticed the kids heading for Kim and hurried over the moment she noticed a problem. Trini and Aisha were right behind her.

Aisha went ahead and set the wheelchair back up as Trini stepped to Kim's side to help her stay standing. Ana was on the other side of her and watched carefully as Trini kept herself between the teenagers and her best friend.

Once Kim was back in her wheelchair, Trini turned to the kids. "The problem wasn't Kimberly's. You weren't watching where you were going. If you had been you wouldn't have nearly tripped over her wheelchair."

"Just get her out of our way. We want a drink."

"I think you should apologize to my friend. You almost hurt her."

"Trini, let's go. I'm getting tired anyway."

"Kim, they need to show some manners." Trini stood her ground. Ana had her hands on the handles of the wheelchair, ready to leave at any time. Aisha was standing beside Kim and had a hand on her shoulder. "Are you going to apologize?"

"Why should we? She was in our way." Trini shook her head. "What?"

"You aren't worth wasting my time or effort. I'm taking my friend back to the hospital. I hope that you someday learn that no one person is any more important than anyone else."

With that parting statement, Trini and the others left the mall and headed back to the hospital.

Once they had her tucked back into bed, Kim asked everyone to leave because she wanted to take a nap. They left and Kim sat her bed up and buried her face in her hands to weep.


	19. Chapter 19

DISCLAIMER: Nope not mine. The song "I'll Walk" belongs to Bucky Covington.

SUMMARY: Kim's recovery from her back injury is proceeding at an amazing rate. Will she and Tommy be able to hold it together?

A/N: I know that it's been forever since I updated this one but here you go guys.

* * *

Tommy and Jason returned from their sparring session just fifteen minutes after the girls had left Kim alone in the room. Trini ran to Jason and threw herself into his arms. Jason looked up at Tommy puzzled.

Aisha walked up a little more calmly and explained what had happened at the mall. Tommy turned toward Kim's room and almost stormed towards it. Aisha ran in front of him. "Tommy, calm down. She needs you calm enough to remind her that they don't mean anything. You have to be gentle with her. She's probably been crying since we left the room."

He nodded and took a deep breath. "You're right, Sha. I have to be her shoulder to lean on." He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths before placing his hand on the doorknob.

Walking into the room, he saw the woman he loved nearly sitting up on her bed but asleep with tear tracks streaking her face. He sat down on the bed and brushed a hand down her cheek. "Hey, beautiful."

She stirred and turned into his hand. He smiled as she demonstrated her faith in him. Leaning over, he pressed a kissed to her temple and sat down in the chair next to her, thinking of how proud he was of her and remembering the applause that had rung out when she had stood on that platform to receive her medals.

FLASHBACK

_The women's gymnastics medal ceremony had been postponed by almost two weeks in order for Kimberly to attend. Tommy had waited next to her wheelchair as the other gymnasts were called forward to take their places on the podium. _

"_And first place, the gold medal in floor exercises goes to – Kimberly Hart!" The crowd went wild as Tommy picked her up and stepped onto the podium with her. _

"_Now, handsome." She smiled at him as he gently lowered her feet to the podium. The crowd went silent as she gained her balance but, certainly enough, she did it and the crowd went wild again as she stood on her own two feet and bent her head to receive her first medal of the day._

_The same thing happened for the beam and the vault. She took gold in the beam and silver in the vault. _

_But when the time came for the team all-around medals, she wasn't sure if she should join her team on the podium or not. "Come on, Kimberly. We'll hold you up." All of her teammates helped to support her as she stood with them to receive the all-around gold. _

_She had been exhausted when the ceremony was over but she tried not to show it. Tommy had carried her back to the car and carried her into the hospital. _

_When he went to lay her on the bed, he had to smile. She was already asleep._

FLASHBACK ENDS

And that had been before she had regained the feeling in her legs. She was still fighting and he could not be more proud of the woman he loved.

****

The next morning, Tommy woke up next to the woman he loved yet again. She was smiling at him and already in her swimsuit.

"You're getting pretty good at surprising me, Beautiful," he smiled as he stretched.

"Well, it's not my fault that you sleep like the dead sometimes. Did Jason wear you out yesterday?"

"No. I heard about your little adventure to the mall yesterday though. Are you okay?"

Her head dropped for just a moment before looking back up at him. "I'm fine. Or at least, I will be." The shining smile that she gave him made him smile at her in return. He believed she would be just fine eventually.

"What's this?" He picked up the notebook that she had sitting beside her on the bed. "When did you write this?"

He read the words she'd written on the page. "This is really good, Beautiful. Do you have a tune to go with it?"

"Kind of. It sounded a little cheesy to me."

Tommy's head cocked to the side. "Sing it for me?"

Kim picked up her guitar and started strumming the tune that she had worked out for the song she'd started the night before.

"She said I'll walk

Please come and hold my hand

Right now I'm hurt and I don't understand

Let's just be quiet

And later we can talk

Please stay. Don't worry.

I'll walk."

"I love it, Kim. It sounds pretty awesome to me. I'll never forget standing there in the airport when Kevin got that phone call. Billy said that you were awake. I didn't know until we got here that you were blind as well as temporarily unable to walk. I'll never forget riding here, knowing that I should have been here as soon as the accident happened. Knowing that I should have asked Zordon for permission to teleport down here to be with you."

"That's good, Tommy."

He was puzzled. "What do you mean good?"

She picked up the notebook. "That's a good part for a verse. 'I never will forget that call or driving to the hospital where they told me her legs still would move.' That's really good."

"That's my girl. Writing a song to help deal with things."

"I felt the beginnings of this one coming on and decided I needed to get it written. Sometimes the songs just won't leave me alone until I write them down. It's kind of weird that way."

"Just goes to show how much talent you have." He bent over and kissed her forehead.

"Unfortunately, I can't use the gymnastics aspect."

"Prom night." Her puzzled look made Tommy laugh. "Try this. 'We were eighteen. It was prom night."

" 'We had our first big fight.' I like it. Good angle."

"Don't forget to mention the fact that I cried when I walked into the room."

"I could hear it in your voice." Her voice softened. "I remember asking Aisha if anyone had called you. And how I felt when I heard you by the door. I couldn't help but hope that it was you even though Sha had told me that no one had called you."

"I couldn't believe that you'd heard me. It took me by surprise." He chuckled. "I think Aisha knew that I was there. I don't know how but I think she knew."

"Tommy, do you think that this is somehow meant to be? That maybe this happened to bring us back together?"

"It's definitely possible. I just want you to know that I'm not leaving you alone."

Bowing her head to hide the tears in her eyes, she whispered, "Thank you."


	20. Chapter 20

DISCLAIMER: Nope not mine. A girl can dream though can't she?

SUMMARY: Kim's recovery continues. Another face from her past comes to visit.

* * *

Several days later, Jason and Tommy had gone to the gym to spar while Trini and Aisha worked with Kim on her standing and even taking a step or two.

Suddenly, the door flew open and a voice bellowed from the doorway. "Kimberly Anne Hart! What do you think you're doing?"

Kim's head whipped around to see her stepfather, Pierre, standing in the doorway. "Pierre! Look at me!"

"I see only a selfish child. Your mother called me in tears saying that you weren't coming home with her."

"Pierre, Mom doesn't understand. She wants me to stay a cripple!"

"Your mother wants to take care of you. The doctor told her you were pushing much too hard and were likely to injure yourself even more with this reckless pace you were setting. And I thought your friends would be listening to the doctor at least." Now he'd rounded on Trini and Aisha. "True friends would not be pushing her so hard."

"True friends do because we realize that she doesn't like to be confined to that stupid chair. We also know that if we don't help her to push herself that she'll do it without us and more than likely hurt herself even worse. That is exactly what would happen if we weren't here." Aisha stood next to Kim as Trini stood on her other side.

"Your mother and I are finished with you. You can support yourself from now on."

Pierre opened the door. "Pierre, wait!" Kim cried. When he turned back around, she continued. "Don't you want to see just how far I've come? What I can do because I pushed myself and my friends helped me?"

"Very well. Show me."

Trini and Aisha stepped away from Kim as she slowly turned herself around to face the man who had married her mother. They watched with support in their eyes as she stood there for a moment before taking six small steps toward him. They stayed just close enough to catch her if she should fall. She paused for a moment and then took three more. The look on her face told the man that she was fighting for every single step she took at this point. But fight she did and she made it all the way to where he stood after several stops along the way before collapsing.

Trini and Aisha stepped forward only to stop as Pierre caught the young woman and picked her up. Gently, he carried her back to her bed and set her on the edge of it.

"Mom just wants me with her so that she can control who I see. I love Tommy, Pierre. She needs to accept this. I love him and he loves me. He may have believed the letter she sent him for a while but he does know now that it wasn't me that sent it." She bowed her head. "Please. Try to make her see that Tommy's not a bad guy. I don't want her out of my life. After all, I'll need someone to help me plan my wedding to Tommy later on."

"I will try, petite. But you know your mother. She is stubborn." He hooked her chin and pulled her eyes up to face him. "Continue getting stronger. I will work on your mother."

He kissed her forehead and left the room.

"That was hard," she sighed. Trini and Aisha stood beside the bed, smiling down at her.

"But, girl, you certainly made an impression on him."

"I think you deserve the rest of the day to relax. How about some time at the pool?" When Kim looked up at her with a puzzled expression, Trini continued. "Just to float. No working. In fact, Aisha and I will get in with you and we'll just laze around in there until the guys get back."

The girls smiled and nodded as they started getting their suits on.

****

"Hey, girls. We're --- back?" Rocky, Zack, Jason and Tommy walked into Kim's room to find no one there. "Where could they have gone?"

"I don't know, Rock. Maybe they went out to the mall or something."

"Are the four of you looking for Miss Hart?" a nurse asked as she was walking down the hall.

"Yes." Four males voices chorused in relief at the thought that someone might know where their friends were.

"She and the girls with her went down to the pool. Apparently, Miss Hart's stepfather came in and she walked almost all the way across the room before she collapsed. She was trying to prove to him that she deserved his support instead of his anger. The other girls said something about him being angry that she wouldn't go home with her mother and let her just take care of Kimberly."

"That's because she doesn't want to take care of Kimberly. She wants to hire others to do it for her. She just wants to control her daughter completely and this looks like a good chance." Jason shook his head. "Of course, Kim probably turned Pierre's thoughts around with that little stunt."

"We need to go check on her, man." Tommy was eager to find Kim and wrap his arms around her while telling her just how proud he was of her.

Jason nodded and the four of them headed down the hall toward the pool.

****

Kim was just floating in the water with her eyes closed when Tommy walked into the room. She smiled, knowing it was him without even looking.

"In the pool alone, beautiful?" Tommy asked as he squatted beside the pool.

"Trini and Aisha are here somewhere. Billy showed up just a few minutes ago. I'm never in here alone."

He looked down the length of the pool and noticed that, just as she had said, the girls were down in the deeper end of the pool while Billy sat on the steps in the shallow end where he could get to her quickly enough if she got in trouble.

"Why don't you come over here and I'll help you out of there?"

Kim lifted her head and smiled at him. "I'd love to, handsome. But ---"

"But what, Kim?"

"I think you should catch me first." With that she dove under the water and started swimming for the deep end.

Jason noticed how she was moving under the surface almost like the dolphins. He remembered when she'd learned that almost twelve years ago. After that, they'd hardly been able to get Kim out of the lake that summer. Billy had been the only one who could really catch her because he swam much the same way. It required less effort and was much more efficient.

When he started laughing, Tommy turned to look at his friend while pulling off his shoes and socks. "What's up, Jase?"

"Good luck catching her, bro. When she swims like that, even I'm hard pressed to catch her." Tommy shrugged, whipping off his t-shirt and slipping into the water.

Tommy took off chasing Kim around the pool only to rapidly discover that Jason was right. She was really hard to catch when she swam this way.

Jason knew that Kim had to be hurting by the time they'd been at it for five minutes, stopping periodically to grab a breath. Or at least Tommy was. Kim would just slice above the surface, suck in a quick breath and keep moving.

But at one point, he noticed she stopped swimming and rolled over under the water, trying to massage out a cramp or something. "Billy!"

He needn't have worried. Billy noticed the problem even before Jason had and was already slicing through the water toward Kimberly. He made it to the young woman just as Tommy came up for a breath of air, diving to the bottom to catch at her.

As he broke the surface with Kim in hand, Tommy reached out to help hand her up to Jason who pulled her onto the deck.

When she finally stopped coughing, she looked up at seven sets of worried eyes. "I guess I pushed a little too hard today, huh?"

"Think so, sis?" Jason smarted off, leaving everyone smiling if not giggling outright.

"Maybe a little." She smiled back at him from where she lay in her brother's arms.


End file.
